Free launch diagnoser
KDP sales diagnosis
A book 'not selling' is usually a book not visible. Here is the 7-point check that finds which one.
Every week authors post the same question: 'My book is out and nothing is happening.' The answer is rarely luck — it is one of seven checkable gaps, and every one of them is free to score.
Checked:
✓Seven checkable gaps, seven free checks✓Sample quality beats marketing spend✓The diagnosis takes under an hour
The seven gaps, in order of frequency
From analyzing hundreds of KDP community threads, the same seven gaps appear again and again: an invisible listing (category/subcategory misses the buyer), a broken sample (format errors on phone), a weak first page (cover/title), thin metadata, no launch traffic, no genuinely good reason to click, and — most painfully — a book that simply has no place to be discovered.
| Check | Free tool | Fails when |
|---|---|---|
| Cover legibility | kdp-cover-calculator | Title unreadable at 100px |
| EPUB integrity | epub-validator | Chapters break on mobile |
| Metadata | kdp-metadata-checklist | Categories or keywords miss readers |
| Listing killer | kdp-listing-helper | Description deletes the hook |
| Rejection signals | kdp-failed-manuscript-upload | Upload errors or lazy placeholder |
| Launch mechanics | launch-diagnoser | No timeline, no review ask |
| Pricing sanity | kdp-royalty-calculator | Price vs length mismatch |
What to do with the score
Run the checks in order, fix the first three positives, and the result is a listing that can be found. The launch diagnoser then scores the remaining four and gives a 30-day plan you can execute without a budget.
The most common 'nothing is happening' book we see has all seven gaps — because nobody ran a single check before publishing. The fix is not more ads; the fix is the checklist.
- Fix format and metadata first — they gate everything
- Then sample and cover — they earn the click
- Then launch mechanics — they convert the traffic
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long until a new book sells?
For a first novel with no list, the honest window is months, not weeks. The checks above decide whether the months have a reachable ceiling or none at all.
Should I buy ads first or fix the listing first?
Fix the listing first. Ads multiply whatever exists — a broken listing converts ad spend into a lesson, not sales.
Is it my book's quality, not visibility?
Sometimes. But visibility is checkable and quality is not — run the seven checks, eliminate the checkable causes, and whatever remains is the honest quality question.
Can KENP explain where my sales went?
Yes — page reads are a separate earnings stream and a signal of reader engagement. The KENP guide explains the math and where the money actually comes from.
Score your book in one pass.
Run the free diagnosis tools first: cover, EPUB, metadata, listing — then get a 30-day plan from the launch diagnoser.